Vehicle snowplow

ABSTRACT

An improvement is provided in a vehicle snowplow for use with a vehicle having a hitch at the rear end thereof and a rear axle. The snowplow has a plow blade, a pair of spaced apart arms connected to the blade and extending forwardly therefrom toward the rear axle, and connection means connecting the plow blade to the hitch. The improvement comprises a pair of brackets rigidly connected to the rear axle, the arms having forward ends which are detachably secured to the bracket in such a manner that the arms are free from contact with the rear axle.

[451 Apr. 30, 1974 VEHICLE SNOWPLOW [76] Inventor: James E. Billingsley, P.O. Box 72,

Prairie City, Iowa 50228 22 Filed: May 11, 1972 21 Appl.No.:252,300

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuatiomin-part of Ser. No. 124,833, March 16,

1971, Pat. NO. 3,760,516.

[52] US. Cl. 37/42 R, 37/50 [51] Int. Cl E0lh 5/06 [58] Field of Search 37/41, 42 R, 42 VL, 44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,475 8/1933 Meyer 37/42 R 2,468,950 5/1949 Wiedman 37/42 VL 2,710,464 6/1955 Husting 37/42 R 2,103,900 12/1937 Gay 37/44 3,353,287 11/1967 King 37/50 1,473,890 1l/l923 Toy et a1 37/42 R Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerR. E. Suter Attorney, Agent, or FirmZarley, McKee & Thomte [5 7] ABSTRACT An improvement is provided in a vehicle snowplow for use with a vehicle having a hitch at the rear end thereof and a rear axle. The snowplow has a plow blade, 21 pair of spaced apart arms connected to the blade and extending forwardly therefrom toward the rear axle, and connection means connecting the plow blade to the hitch. The improvement comprises a pair of brackets rigidly connected to the rear axle, the arms having forward ends which are detachably secured to the bracket in such a manner that the arms are free from contact with the rear axle.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures VEHICLE SNOWPLOW This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 124,833, filed Mar. 16, I971, now US. Pat. No. 3,760,516.

Conventional snowplow blades are usually secured to the forward end of vehicles. Vehicles are usually driven forwardly into the garage which makes it impossible to plow the snow that may accumulate behind the vehicle while the vehicle is in the garage.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a snowplow for use on the rear axle of an automobile. I

A further object of the present invention is to minimize any damage or injury which the snowplow might cause to the rear axle of the vehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for easily adjusting the angle of the snow blade with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snowplow for use on the rear end of an automobile which may be quickly secured thereto.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snowplow which permits the vehicle to plow snow as the vehicle is backed from its garage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snowplow for use on the rear axle of an automobile including means to permit the blade to be selectively angled with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snowplow for use on the rear axle of an automobile having means thereon to permit the blade to pivot to a semi-inoperative position when the vehicle is moved forwardly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snowplow for use on the rear axle of an automobile which is economical to manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial top view of a vehicle having the snowplow of this invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the snowplow mounted on a vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 except that the vehicle is being moved in a forwardly direction;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view seen along lines 4 4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view seen along lines 5 5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the'brackets for attaching the snowplow to the vehicle axle.

The numeral 10 refers generally to a vehicle such as an automobile or truck having a rear axle 12 and a trailer hitch 14 at the rearward end of the vehicle. The snowplow of this invention is referred generally to by the reference numeral 16 and comprises a pair of arms 18 and 20 which are identical. Inasmuch as arms 18 and 20 are identical, only arm 20 will be described in detail.

Arm 20 is comprised of two members 21, 22 which are telescopically mounted with respect to one another so that the effective length of arm 20 may be varied. Members 21, 22 are each provided with a row of apertures 23 which may be aligned with one another at various telescoped positions of members 21, 22. A bolt or pin 24 protrudes through the aligned apertures 23 of members 21, 22 so as to lock members 21, 22 against longitudinal telescoping movement.

Arm 20 has an arcuate portion 25 at its forward end having the shape of a C" with its open face presented downwardly. Thus arcuate portion 25 forms a rearwardly opening hook 26 and a forwardly opening hook 27. Hook 27 extends downwardly and forwardly adjacent the rearward end of arcuate portion 25 as seen in FIG. 2. i

The numeral 28 designates a plow blade having a pair of brackets 30 and 32 secured to the forward side thereof adjacent the opposite lower ends thereof. The rearward end of arms 18, 20 are secured to the brackets 30, 32 by means of bolt assembly 34. An opening 35 (FIG. 5) in the rearward end of arms 18, 20 through which extends the bolt 34, is larger than the bolt 34 to permit the blade 28 and bracket 32 to move slightly with respect to the arms-l8, 20.

Rigidly, but detachably mounted to axle 12 are a pair of brackets 36. Each bracket 36 includes an upper member 37 and a lower member 38. Upper member 37 includes a raised portion 39 and a pair of flanges 40 on opposite sides of raised portion 39. Lower member 38 includes a web 41 having an indentation 42 and a pair of flanges 43 which face raised portion 39 and flanges 40, respectively, of upper member 37. Extending vertically downwardly from the lateral edges of web 41 are a pair of side plates 44 which are spaced apart and parallel to one another. Upper member 37 and lower member 38 are joined together by means of bolts 45 which extend through flanges 40, 43 and which cause raised portion 39 of upper member 37 and indentation 42 of lower member 38 to tightly embrace axle 12.

Extending between side plates 44 of bracket 36 is a horizontal pin 46 which is positioned below and parallel to axle 12.

Eacharcuate portion 25 of arms 18, 20 is positioned over pin-46 as seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6. The spacing of hooks 26, 27 of arcuate portion 25 is such that a certain amount of play or lost motion exists between arms 18, 20 and pins 46. When the vehicle 10 moves rearwardly (FIG. 2), pin 46 engages hook 27 to push arms 18, 20 rearwardly. When vehicle 10 moves forwardly, hooks 26 of arcuate portions 25 engage pins 46 to pull arms 18, 20 forwardly.

A connection means 25 is secured to the forward .end of blade 28 at the center thereof comprising generally a bracket 54 which is hingedly secured to the blade 28 about a horizontal axis 55 to permit the blade 28 to pivot from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3. The rearward end of an L-shaped member 56 is secured to the bracket 54 by means of pin 58 as seen in FIG. .4 and it can be seen that the bracket 54 may be selectively longitudinally mounted on the rearward end ofthe member 56 by means of the openings 60. Member 56 includes a vertically disposed portion '62 which extends downwardly through the opening 64 in the hitch 14 and is maintained thereinby means of key.

The normal method of operation is as follows. Brackets 46 may be permanently fastened to the axle 12 of a vehicle 10. Assuming that the vehicle has been driven into the garage in a head-on" manner, it is extremely easy to attach the snowplow to the vehicle so that the vehicle can push the snow in a rearward manner as the vehicle is backed from the garage. The arcuate portions 25 of the forward ends of the arms 18 and 20 are placed over the pins 46 of brackets 36 and the member 56 is connected to the hitch 14 as previously described. Pins 24 may be removed from arms 18, 20 and the length of arms 18, 20 may then be adjusted so as to hold blade 28 at the desired angle with respect to the directional movement of vehicle 10. When this desired angle is set, pins 24 are again inserted to prevent telescopic extension of arms 18, 20, and thereby to hold blade 28 rigidly at this desired angle. The vehicle is then moved rearwardly with the blade 28 pushing the snow as the vehicle is moved rearwardly. The forward movement of the vehicle causes the blade 28 to pivot about axis 55 from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3 so that the blade will ride over the snow so that the blade will drag less snow forwardly.

Thus it can be seen that an extremely novel snowplow has been provided for use on the rear axle of a vehicle which permits the vehicle to back out of the garage while pushing the snow from the driveway while doing so. The device is quickly and easily attached to the vehicle and is quickly and easily removed therefrom once the snow clearing operation has been completed. The forward ends of arms 18, 20 are spaced from axle 12 and consequently they do not rub against or damage axle 12. Furthermore, the telescopic extension of arms 18, 20 permits quick and easy adjustment of the angle of blade 28. Thus it can be seen the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle having hitch means at the rearward end thereof and a rear axle,

a pair of brackets rigidly secured to the vehicle rear axle,

a horizontally disposed pin means secured to each of said brackets and being positioned below said rear axle,

a snowplow having a plow blade, pivotally connected adjacent its upper end to said hitch means about a horizontal axis,

a pair of spaced apart arms secured to said plow blade and extending forwardly therefrom towards said rear axle, each of said arms having forward end portions which are detachably secured to one of said pin means, said forward end portions being spaced below said rear axle said forward end portions of said arms comprising an arcuate portion extending over said pin means and having a rearwardly opening hook-shaped portion positioned forwardly of said pin means and a forwardly opening hook-shaped portion positioned rearwardly of said pin means, the opening between said hook-shaped portions on each of said arcuate portions being sufficiently greater than the diameter of said pin means to provide said detachable securement and, when said vehicle reverses its direction of travel, sufficient lost motion between said pin and said arms to cause said blade to pivot about its horizontal axis to change the angle of said blade with respect to the ground.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said brackets comprises upper and lower bracket members which are detachably secured to said rear axle, a pair of spaced apart side plates secured to said lower bracket member and extending downwardly therefrom, said pin means being secured to and extending between said side plates adjacent the lower ends thereof.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said arms are pivotally connected to said plow blade below the pivotal connection of said plow blade and said hitch means, each of said arms being selectively extensible to change the length thereof, each of said arms comprising first and second members telescopically mounted with respect to one another, each of said first and second members having a plurality of apertures formed therein along the length thereof, said apertures of said first member being registerable with the apertures of said second member, and a pin means selectively extendable through said registered apertures to hold said first and second members against telescopic movement with respect to one another. 

1. In combination with a vehicle having hitch means at the rearward end thereof and a rear axle, a pair of brackets rigidly secured to the vehicle rear axle, a horizontally disposed pin means secured to each of said brackets and being positioned below said rear axle, a snowplow having a plow blade, pivotally connected adjacent its upper end to said hitch means about a horizontal axis, a pair of spaced apart arms secured to said plow blade and extending forwardly therefrom towards said rear axle, each of said arms having forward end portions which are detachably secured to one of said pin means, said forward end portions being spaced below said rear axle said forward end portions of said arms comprising an arcuate portion extending over said pin means and having a rearwardly opening hook-shaped portion positioned forwardly of said pin means and a forwardly opening hook-shaped portion positioned rearwardly of said pin means, the opening between said hookshaped portions on each of said arcuate portions being sufficiently greater than the diameter of said pin means to provide said detachable securement and, when said vehicle reverses its direction of travel, sufficient lost motion between said pin and said arms to cause said blade to pivot about its horizontal axis to change the angle of said blade with respect to the ground.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said brackets comprises upper and lower bracket members which are detachably secured to said rear axle, a pair of spaced apart side plates secured to said lower bracket member and extending downwardly therefrom, said pin means being secured to and extending between said side plates adjacent the lower ends thereof.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said arms are pivotally connected to said plow blade below the pivotal connection of said plow blade and said hitch means, each of said arms being selectively extensible to change the length thereof, each of said arms comprising first and second members telescopically mounted with respect to one another, each of said first and second members having a plurality of apertures formed therein along the length thereof, said apertures of said first member being registerable with the apertures of said Second member, and a pin means selectively extendable through said registered apertures to hold said first and second members against telescopic movement with respect to one another. 